Life-saving device.



No. 669,547. Patented Mar. I2, IQUII. J. W. PATERSSON.

LIFE SAVING DEVICE.

(Application filed Aug. 2, I900.-

(No Model.)

3 Sheets--Sheat l,

WITNESSES No. 669,547. Patented Mar. l2, I901.

- .1. w. PATEBSSON.

, LIFE SAVING DEVICE.

(Aixplicntion filed Aug. 2. 1900. No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shoot 2.

TWIITNESSES @N QH UNITED STATES PATENT @EETCE.

JACOB WILLIAM PATERSSON, OF SHANGHAI, CHINA.

LIFE-SAVING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 669,547, dated March 12, 1901.

Application filed August 2, 1900- Sarial No- (N0 mod-BL) To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, J AOOB WILLIAM PAT- ERSSON, a citizen of Sweden, residing at Shanghai, in the Empire of China, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life- Saving Devices, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to life-saving devices for use at sea; and one object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class which is simple in construction and operation and which insures a maximum degree of safety in the case of shipwreck and which will in a measure protect a person or persons therein from cold and from sharks, a further object being to provide a device of the class described which may be quickly and easily provisioned and launched and which may be launched from the deck of a vessel in the manner of other devices or in the mannerof small boats or which may be left on the deck of a vessel when the latter sinks and which though carried down with the vessel will return to the surface without injury to the party or parties therein; and with these and other objects in view the invention consists in a life-saving device or apparatus constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which Figure l is a perspective view of my improved life-saving device or apparatus complete; Fig. 2, a similar view showing the device folded for storage or other purposes when not in use; Fig. 3, a similar view of the frame or body portion proper of the device with the waterproof covering,which forms a part thereof when in use, removed; Fig. 4, a View similar to Fig. 3, but showing the bottom of the device; and Fig. 5, a perspective inside view of one end of the body portion or framework of my improved life-saving device or apparatus, said figure being also designed to show the construction more clearly.

In the drawings forming part of this specification the'separate parts of my improvement are designated by the same reference characters in each of the views, and in the practice of my invention 1 provide an apparatus of the class described comprising a main frame or body portion which is of the form shown in the drawings, being preferably diamond-shaped, and which consists, reference being made to Figs. 3, 4, and 5, of a top portion or and bottom portionf, made from the lightest white or yellow pine procurable. The upper portion of the frame consists of four pieces of wood a each preferably six feet long and seven inches by five inches in transverse or cross-sectional measurement, and said top portion of the frame is supported or braced by a hatch-f ra me composed of parts b, in which is the hatch-opening b The hatch-frame is H shaped and preferably consists of four pieces of material similar to that from which the main top portion of the frame of the apparatus is composed, as above described. The lower portion of the main frame, which is designated by the reference-letter f, also consists of four pieces f of pine wood, six feet long and eight inches by six inches in transverse orcross-sectional measurement, and these are supported or braced (see Fig. 5) by cross-pieces f of similar material and of any preferred transverse measurement. The upper and lower portions of the main frame are connected by folders d, which consist of pieces of soft Wood or planking from one and one-half to one and three-fourths inches in thickness, and two opposite sides are each preferably provided with two of these folders and the other two opposite sides with one of said folders each. Each folder consists of two separate pieces and has three sets of hinges e, the separate parts of each holder being hinged together at the middle by two hinges and one part being hinged to the top portion of the main frame by two hinges and the other part to the bottom portion of said main frame by two hinges, this construction being designed in order to enable the apparatus to be folded together into the smallest possible space and also to be expanded or enlarged within as short a time as necessary. The folders d constitute the sides of the main frame of the apparatus, and the space between said folders is open, and the frame thus constructed is in practice covered by double parts of canvas, and when complete the apparatus is preferably of diamond shape, as hereinbefore described, and the hatch b or manhole at the top is also provided with a water-tight cover, and said apparatus is provided at the corners thereof with rollers It, so as to facilitate its being moved from one place to another. The folders d should not be placed quite parallel to the sides of the box, casing, or frame, but should be as nearly as practicable at right-angles to each other. This is easily done by placing those at each corner slightly inwardly, so that although the main box or frame is diamond-shaped with two acute angles and two obtuse angles, the folders and their hinges should be placed so as to form, if the lines are extended, nearly ninety degrees or a right angle to each other.

Having completed the main frame, the cover of the same must be made. This is done by selecting the material, which must always, if possible, be American cotton canvas, and which is ordinarily twenty-two inches wide, and from which four strips g, six or seven inches longer than the main frame, are cut. These strips are then sewed together with fiat seams, so as to cover or fit the top portion of the frame. able, less than four strips may be taken. At any rate, this portion should be made about three or four inches larger than the top portion of the main frame, and the covering for the bottom portion of the main frame is made in a similar manner. In covering the sides of the apparatus the canvas is passed around the same in a horizontal direction about one inch too large for the frame, making another allowance of one and three-fourths inches at each end of the canvas for the seam. The

strips are then all sewed together by means,

of flat seams, and if the canvas is of the width hereinbefore referred to three of said strips will be necessary. The side covering is then sewed to the bottom cover in such manner that the bottom seam comes about one-half inch from the bottom of the lower portion of the main frame. Careful sewing is required here, especially at the corners. Having sewed the side covering to the bottom covering, the

, main frame is put therein, and the top covering is then tacked onto the top frame.

In doing this the top canvas or covering is turned down over the top side edges of the frame and tacked over the side covering or canvas, and the entire covering or canvas is then painted or oiled, or, better still, is covered with a solution of rubber, such as is used by divers for their clothing. Having finished the inner cover, an outer cover is made in the same manner, and when finished it is put on over the inner cover.

canvas.

' the seams of the inner covering. Battens are the upper frame, also on the upper sides of the upper frame over the ends of the canvas,

and secured as described. The canvas is then Should broader canvas be obtainbattens are then placed over the canvas on the upper frame and, screwed to said frame over the ends of thej' Care must be taken that the seams on the outer cover or covering are not over cut out at the hatchway, and battens are screwed on the coaming over the ends of the canvas. The hatch b i then made to fit the hatchway, and india-rubberstri ps about onefourth of an inch thick are placed around the hatchway and buttons or bolts screwed on, so that the hatch may be secured from inside or outside. A batten is then placed on the bottom portion of the main frame extending from one extreme corner to another extreme corner or point on the other end and small corner-pieces on each side or obtuse-angle corners.

The apparatus is also provided with airholes 0 in the top thereof, formed in pieces of wood set into the top portion of the frame, and over these pieces of wood are placed brass plates having tubes 0 which form ventilators, and in practice a canvas bag is placed under these ventilators or the holes in order to catch any water that may come through the ventilator, and, in finishing, cover the outer covering with any solution that will make it waterproof without making it too stiff.

The inner sides of the folders are also provided with braces it, which are placed in position when the apparatus is extended for use and removed in order that it may be folded together, and other braces of various kinds may be employed, and such ballast as may be necessary must be secured to the bottom crosspieces in any suitable manner.

This apparatus may be thrown or pushed over a vessels side or stern, as may be most convenient, with four or five persons therein, when there is absolutely no time to launch it, or the device may be dragged to any open portion of the vessels deck and left there, and in this case at least six persons may get inside, or seven or eight when there is no ballast employed, and in any event persons within the device orapparatus should be lashed or otherwise secured to the bottom frame thereof in order to serve as ballast. If the apparatusis left on the deck of the ship,a s above described, it will rise after the vessel has sunk; but in all cases where time permits the said apparatus should be launched from the ship in the ordinary manner, and it will also be apparent that suitable supplies for a number of days may be placed within the apparatus before it is launched.

When launching the device or apparatus from a great heightsay twenty or thirty feetgreat care must be observed. The painters or ropes at each end of the apparatus should be held with a belaying-pin or by some other stationary object and a slight check given to the apparatus as it falls, and even if the apparatus should by accident fall bottom side up it will at once right itself if the ballast therein has been properly arranged. The ventilators and hatch may each be managed from the inside, and these parts may be constructed and arranged in any desired manner.

The entire apparatus is perfectly adapted for the object for which it is intended, and many changes in the details of construction herein described may be made Without departing from the scope of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

and bottom frames connected by side members which are hinged thereto and composed of separate parts hinged together midway thereof, detachable braces connected with the inner side of said side members, said apparatus being also provided with a covering of flexible waterproof material, and with a hatch and ventilators in the top thereof, and the bottom frame being also provided with suitable braces, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 26th day of June, 1900.

JACOB WILLIAM PATERSSON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. S. GLEASON, TSUNEZO SHIcIo. 

